Puzzle



Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT O-F'F-ICE rUzzn-r; 7 IrvingSteinha'rdt, New orkQNJY; Application October 21, 1939,? Sl'i aijN0.300,517 8 Claims. oiiz'vs -uss) "This invention relates to amusementdevices and, morelp'artioularly, to puzzles.

One object of the invention istoprovide apuzzle comprising a frame and aplurality of movable members mounted in theframe, the construction andOrganization of :the frame and elements being such that the puzzle is ofa. small size whereby it canb'e carried about conveniently in agarmentpocket. or in a purse or handbag.

Another object of the invention is toprovide apuzzle in which the partsare in fixed assembled relation, and in which, in working the puzzle,certain of theparts are movable according to predetermined rules forproviding a highly interesting device. V

A further object of the inventionis to provide a puzzle comprising aframe and a plurality of movable members mounted in p the frame, theconstruction and. organization of the frame and said elements beingsimple and inexpensive, and such as to facilitate the manipulation-ofthe sev eral movable members in the frame in working the puzzle. 7

A further object of the invention is generally to provide a puzzle whichis simple in construction, convenient to manipulate, and interesting towork. a g The above objects "of the invention and other objects whichmight hereinafter appear will be more fully understood from" thefollowing descri tion considered with reference ltothe accompanyingdrawing.

In" the drawing:

"'Fig. 1 is a perspective viewfon an'enla'rged "sca1e,'of a puzzleembodying the present invention;

2' is a rear view in elevationlof the puzzle, with parts broken away forillustration purposes; Fi 3 is 'asectional-view-on the line '3'-'3 "of*Fig. 4 is a sectional view on theline 4-4'Of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a puzzle'm'ade in'ac- -cordance with anotherform of the invention;

6 is a fragmentary plan view' of-the puzzle shown in Fig.- 5, with partscut away for thepvQrpose of illustration-j Fig. -7 is a-sectiohal viewon theline 1-'I of Fig, 5. p Y

- -Referringto the drawing in detail'and first to the form of theinventionillus'trated in Figs. 1 to 4,'the puzzle comprises, as hereshown, a frame having a U-shaped member I 2- whichincludes in integralrelatidn therfronticiir ved wall l4 and: the opposite sidewallsflB;fsaidmember 1Tbeing pref? erably. U-shaped 13.5 .Lclearly illustrated inFigs. 1 and..3.i The :otherpart l8 .of .the'frame fits into U-shapedmember l2, and .hasopposite end walls and-22 .whichiclose'the endsofU-shaped memher. [2, said-end walls 20 .and 22 conforming in size andshapeto :thecurvaturezof the inner surface of U-shaped member I2. Framemember 18 has. a rear .wall integral with end members 20 and-22.; Saidrear wall is constituted by the outer portions 24 and 26 .ofend walls 20and 22, respectively, and by opposite longitudinally extending sideportions 28 and 30,.andsaid rear wall also includes" a. plurality .ofpairs of confronting .projections 332. and 34 sextendingfrom parts 28.and 30 .of .theframe', respectively. Members 32 and 34 :are..som'ewhatresilient and for this purpose arejof dovetail shape. to provide thenarrow portions' 36 at thejuncture of said members with side portions 28and.30, respectively, of frame member l8. It will..be :observed'thatthere are a plurality of .pairs of'members 32. and 34 disposed in spacedrelation longitudinally of frame member l8 and that theconfrontingedgesof members '32 and 34 are spacedashort. distance from each othertransversely of a longitudinal median. line. .Frame members l2 and I8may be made of any suitable material, .Bakelite. or the like beingpreferred. -Apluralityof movable'members 38, also preferably formedoffBakelite, are pivotally mount- "edlin the frame in side byside relationon a metal pivot'pin '4 ll. extending longitudinally of the frameand-fixed at. its endsin .the endwalls 20 and 22 offrame member J8..Each movable member. 38 comprises an :apertured body portion 42journalledfor ipivotalmovement on .pin 40. The opposite sides'44 ofeachbodyportion 42 are fiat iandathe fre'eend 0f. saidbody portions isdefined by diatl'converging surfaces .46 which meet at a lineiatcth'ecenter of saidv bodyportion in the direction of ..pin 40. When members38 arepo- 'asit'ioned. centrallyf'of front wall [4- in theslots 48thereof-,lwhich will be hereinafter'described more specifically, thesouterends of the body portion '42: of said Jpins. arez'engaged by theconfronting edge-portions of members32, 34 for holding the pins ..insaidposition. "When the pins 38 are .m'ovedito tm left or to. the right onpivot pin 40, the'iend surface portions 46 are engagedby the.inners'urfaces of projections-32,; 34 for holding said? membersreleasably in said positions, respectively; The slots 48 in front wall14 of frame member 12 extend transverselyof said front wall and aredisposed -in spaced relation longitudinally sem n-am. :A centralportion'50 of each -s10t'48 isisom'ewhat wider thaniathessideportions:52 of each slot 48. Slot portions 50 are of about the same size asprojecting head portions 54 of members 38 which extend through slots 48,so that said head portions can be pushed through said portions 58. Thus,the enlarged slot portions 50 permit frame member l8 with the movablemembers 38 mounted thereon to be assembled as a unit with frame memberl2. Separation of frame member l8 from frame member l2 can be preventedin any suitable way, but ordinarily no additional securing means isnecessary as the projeoting head portions 54 of movable members 38 areso nearly of the same size as enlarged portions 50 of slots 48 as toprevent unintended movement of the frame member l8 out of frame memberI2. portion 58 which is movable in the narrower portions 52 of acompanion slot 48. The portion'of wall I4 which is provided with slot 48is preferably arouate to permit the pivotal movement of members 38 witha preferred sliding engagement.

of the inner or shouldered ends 58 of said.members with the outersurface of wall l4.

Wall M of frame member I2 has longitudinally extending zones indicatedby the reference letters A, B and C, said zones being, disposed inlaterally spaced relation on wall I4. Each zone has a plurality oflaterally spaced stations in the paths defined by slots 43 for theprojecting portions 54 of pivoted members 38, one station being at thecenter of each slot 48 defined by the enlarged portion 58 thereof andthe other two stations being at the opposite ends of the same slot.Thus, for example, referring to Fig. 1, each member 38 is movable fromits central station in zone B to two other stations at the ends of thecompanion slots in zones A and C, respectively. Said movable members 38have arbitrary relative values assigned'thereto. As here shown, saidmembers 38 are numbered consecutively from I to 1 indicating that member38 which has the assigned arbitrary highest value of I is superior toeach of the other movable members, while the member which is numbered 1has the lowest value in relation to the other movable members.

In working the puzzle, the objectis to move members 38 one at a timefrom their respective stations in one zone to their respective stationsin another predetermined zone, without moving a member of one value intoor out of a zone 00: cupied by a member of another predeterminedrelative value, although it is permissible for the members to be movedthrough a zone even though any station in the latter is occupied by amember of such other relative value. Thus, for. example, assuming thatall of the movable members are in zone B, the object of the puZZle'is tomove all of members 38 into zone A or'into zone C, as may bepro-selected, so that all of said members are positoned in saidpre-selected zone, and this must be done in compliance with the rulethat a member of one arbitrary value cannot be moved into or out of azone occupied by a member of another predetermined relative value. Forexample, with members 38 positioned as illustrated in Fig. 1, none ofthe members 38 of lower value than member 38 having the assigned highestvalue of one can be moved out of zone B, but this can be done if member38 having the highest value I assigned thereto is first movedeither intozone A or into zone C. If said last mentioned member is moved into zoneA, none of the other mem- Members 38 each has a reduced neck workingthis puzzle to move member 38 of the value I into zone C. As zones A andC are now occupied by members 38 each of a higher value than member 38of value 3, it is necessary to move member 38 of value I into zone C inorder that member 38 of value 3 can be moved into zone A. This method ofmanipulating the mov able members from their stations in the severalzones is continued until all of said members are moved in compliancewith the rules for working the puzzle into one predetermined zone. Itwill be understood that the rule can be changed to provide that themembers of higher value cannot that members of lower value cannot bemoved into or out of a zone occupied by a member of higher relativevalue. As hereinbefore stated, any of the members can be moved throughzone B even though said zone is occupied by members of higher value,assuming the first mentioned rule is adopted, or even though said zoneis occupied by members of lower value, assuming the last mentioned ruleis adopted. Thus, for example, if any of the movable members except themember of highest value is in zone B, any of said movable members oflower value can be moved from zone A to zone C or vice versa as the casemay be, passing through zone B, but said members of lower value couldnot be stationed in zone B as long as said zone is occupied by a memberof higher value. The number of movable members in relation to the numberof zones is such that all of said movable members can be moved one at atime from one predetermined zone to another predetermined zone withoutmoving a member of one value into or out of a zone occupied by a memberof another predetermined relative value, and, preferably, in order toavoid a too simple solution of the puzzle, the number of movable membersis at least as large as the number of zones. It will be observed thatthe movable members are independently movable in the frame from one zoneto another in fixed paths.

Referring now to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7of the drawings, it will be understood that while'the construction ofthe puzzle Ina, as here shown, is different from the construction ofpuzzle I0 illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the principle on which the puzzleis based is the same in respect to both forms. The frame of puzzle Illaas well as the movable members are formed of suitable sheet materialsuch as cardboard, The frame comprises a front member 60 and abackmember 62 between which the movable members 38a, which correspond to themembers 38 of puzzle Ill, are movable from their stations in the severalzones A, B and 0. Frame member 60 is provided with a plurality ofaligned station openings 64 extending longitudinally of the frame inspaced relation in each of zones A, B and C, and movable members 3801.each carries a number, visible through said openings, indicating thearbitrary value assigned thereto. Frame members 60 and 62 are secured toeach other in spaced overlying relation by end spacing members 68 and 81and by spacing members 88 disposed in spaced relation longitudinally ofthe frame and provided with enlarged end portions 10 which are engagedby the intermediate lateral projections 12 on each movable member38a,.thereby constituting stops to limit the movement ofmembers 38a inthe slots formed by frame members 69 and 62 and spacing members 68.

While I have shown and described the preferred forms of the invention,it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other formsas well, and that in the constructions herein shown or described certainchanges may be made. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to theinvention as herein shown or described except as may be required by thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A puzzle comprising a frame having a plurality of zones disposedlaterally of each other and extending longitudinally of the frame, eachof said zones having a plurality of stations defined by openings in theframe, said stationopenings in each of the zones being spaced from eachother longitudinally of the frame, and a plurality of members pivotallymounted in said frame for movement transversely of said zones at saidstation-openings, there being a stationopening in each zone for each ofsaid members, said movable members having arbitrary relative values, thenumber of said movable members in relation to the number of zones beingsuch that all of said movable members can be moved one at a time fromtheir respective stations in one zone to their respective stations inanother zone Without moving a member of one value into or out of astation in a zone having a station thereof occupied by a member ofanother predetermined relative value, the number of said movable membersbeing at least as large as the number of zones.

2. A puzzle comprising a frame having a plurality of zones disposedlaterally of each other and extending longitudinally of the frame, eachof said zones having a plurality of stations defined by openings in theframe, said stationopenings in each of the zones being spaced from eachother longitudinally of the frame, and a plurality of members mounted insaid frame for movement transversely of said zones at saidstation-openings, there being a station-opening in each zone for each ofsaid members, said members projecting through said station-openings,respectively, in a direction transversely of the direction of movementof said members from the inside of the frame to the outside thereof forproviding finger pieces for manipulation of said member by the user ofthe device.

3. A puzzle comprising a frame having a plurality of zones disposedlaterally of each other and extending longitudinally of the frame, eachof said zones having a plurality of stations defined by openings in theframe, said stationopenings in each of the zones being spaced from eachother longitudinally of the frame, and a plurality of members pivotallymounted in said frame for movement transversely of said zones at saidstation-openings, there being a stationopening in each zone for each ofsaid members, said members projecting through said stationopenings,respectively, in a direction transversely of the direction of movementof said members from the inside of the frame to the outside thereof forproviding finger pieces for manipulation of said member by the user ofthe device.

4. A puzzle comprising a frame having a front Wall provided with aplurality of openings, a plurality of members pivotally mounted in saidframe at the rear of said wall and movable longitudinally of saidopenings, respectively, said members having end portions projectingthrough said openings in a direction transversely of the direction ofmovement of said members for providing finger pieces for manipulation ofsaid members by the user of the device, and means on said frameengageable with said members for releasably holding them in stationaryposition in the frame.

5. A puzzle comprising a frame having a front Wall provided with aplurality of openings, a plurality of members pivotally mounted in saidframe at the rear of said wall and movable longitudinally of saidopenings, respectively, said members having end portions projectingthrough said openings in a direction transversely of the direction ofmovement of said members for manipulation of said members by the user ofthe device, said frame having a rear wall spaced from said front wall,and means formed in said rear wall engageable with the ends of saidmembers remote from said front wall for releasably holding them instationary position in the frame.

6. A puzzle comprising a frame having a front wall, and end walls, saidfront wall having a plurality of slots disposed in spaced relationbetween said end walls, a pivot pin mounted in said end walls, and aplurality of members pivotally mounted on said pivot pin and projectingthrough said slots, respectively, for movement about said pivot pinlongitudinally of said slots.

7. A puzzle comprising a frame having a front wall, a rear wall, and endwalls, said front wall having a plurality of slots disposed in spacedrelation between said end walls, a pivot pin mounted in said end walls,a plurality of members pivotally mounted on said pivot pin andprojecting through said slots, respectively, for movement about saidpivot pin longitudinally of said slots, and resilient members formed insaid rear wall engageable with said pivoted members to hold themreleasably in stationary position.

8. A puzzle comprising a frame having a front wall and a rear Wall, saidfront wall having a plurality of openings arranged in laterally spacedgroups, the openings in each group being spaced from each otherlongitudinally of said front wall, movable members between said frontand rear walls movable laterally thereof and exposed to view throughsaid openings, said rear wall having a plurality of resilient portions,and said movable members engageable individually at their inner endswith said resilient rear wall portions, respectively, for releasablyholding said members in predetermined positions in relation to saidopenings in said front wall.

IRVING STEINHABQT.

